|
Car Insurance News
Defrosting vehicles 'has car insurance implications' - 18/12/2007
Email this page to a friend
|
The British Insurance Brokers Association (Biba) notes that car insurance theft claims tend to increase in frosty weather.
Graeme Trudgill, technical and corporate affairs executive at Biba, attributes the hike in such claims during the winter to drivers' attempts to defrost their cars in cold weather.
He explains that motorists often switch their vehicle on to warm it up, return into their home for a drink, only to find that their car has been stolen when they return.
"So if you are going to take a couple of minutes to defrost your car, make sure you stay with the car," recommends the car insurance spokesperson.
Mr Trudgill asserts that there is a term for such theft - 'frosting' - during which a criminal might grow accustomed to watching people leave for work each morning and monitor their movements so as to judge when the ideal to time to steal their car could be.
However, any driver who fails to exercise proper vigilance when defrosting their vehicle may find their car insurance policy less than forgiving, remarks the technical and corporate affairs executive.
"Insurers will be quite unlikely to pay because there will be an argument that you haven't taken reasonable care," he says.
Sainsbury's Bank estimated earlier this year that some 121,730 households were the victim of frosting between 2000 and 2005.
© Adfero
Back to Index
|
|